Bernheim Forest Artist in Residence

Each year, Bernheim selects up to four artists for its residency program. One residency is dedicated to a regional artist living in Kentucky or in Clark and Floyd counties of Southern Indiana, while another is reserved for an artist whose work engages with environmental issues and climate change.

The duration is between 6 and 8 weeks. (Please see the FAQ regarding the timing of the total immersion experience.)

Selected artists will work with Bernheim to arrange residency dates based on their desired time and availability within the months of 2025.

SUPPORT

$2,500 stipend. Regional artists also receive year-round access to Bernheim resources during their selected year.
Furnished, one-bedroom rustic cabin with a full kitchen, bath, and Wi-Fi.
Modest studio space with good natural light and heating, situated near a 32-acre lake. While no specialized art-making equipment is provided, artists have limited access to basic hand and power tools upon request and must demonstrate proficiency before use.
Support and guidance from Bernheim’s horticulture and operations departments, as well as staff ecologists, scientists, naturalists, and forest managers, are available for Artist-in-Residence projects. Please note that Bernheim staff are not responsible for entertaining visiting artists or assisting with the creation or installation of proposed works.
Access to free or heavily discounted classes, workshops, night walks, and other activities during the residency.
Participation in high-profile public and private events designed to promote artists and the Arts in Nature program.

EXPECTATIONS

A mutually agreed-upon work of art is to be gifted to Bernheim, designed to inspire visitors to form deeper connections with nature.
All Artists-in-Residence are required to participate in at least one public program, either onsite or offsite, during their residency. These community engagement programs help extend Bernheim’s mission and core values beyond its physical boundaries.
- The type and scope of the programs will be collaboratively designed and agreed upon by the artist and Bernheim staff. Engagement activities may include community projects, lectures, demonstrations, youth-learning experiences, workshops, or other special programming.

ARTIST FEES

There are no residency or application fees, but the artist is responsible for all travel and other living expenses while in residence at Bernheim. Also, consider indirect costs such as time away from your job and paying bills at home while in residence.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants may be emerging or established artists at the regional, national, or international level.
Applicants must be professional visual artists. Undergraduate students are not eligible to apply.
To provide opportunities to a broader range of artists, former Artists-in-Residence are not eligible to reapply. However, alumni are encouraged to submit self-sufficient creative proposals to return to Bernheim to create new nature-based work or continue a project started during their residency. Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis, with limited lodging availability. For more information, contact Teresa Koester.
Current Bernheim staff and artists directly associated with a Bernheim staff member are not eligible to apply.

APPLICATION STATUS UPDATE

Applicants will be informed of their application status by mid-February 2025, or as soon as possible, based on the availability of the reviewing panelists.

SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCESS

Applications undergo a two-tiered online review process: first by Bernheim staff and then by a panel of regional curators, alumni artists, and arts leaders for final selections. Reviewers consider the following criteria for each application:

Alignment with current or upcoming initiatives at Bernheim
Relevance to Bernheim’s mission of connecting people to nature
Conceptual accessibility to Bernheim guests, including children and families
Emphasis on highlighting the efforts of other Bernheim departments
Representation of diverse perspectives
Innovation and originality in work, project proposals, and public engagement
Evidence of a current and ongoing creative practice